Open letter to Minister Gan Kim Yong: Healthcare worker says the ‘healthcare system is not coping well, and it is on a slow road to collapse’

A healthcare worker shared alarming realities about the state of Singapore’s healthcare system in response to Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong’s statement.

On Feb 16, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that while daily case numbers are high, the large majority of COVID-19 cases have mild or no symptoms and the healthcare system remains stable.

“Overall, our healthcare system remains stable and has been able to cope with infections,” Mr Gan.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung warned that there is still stress being felt in the healthcare system, especially at the “front end”- general practitioner clinics, polyclinics, and hospital emergency departments.

Responding to Mr Gan on Instagram page @thehonesthealthcareworker on Tuesday (Feb 22), a healthcare worker said: “respectfully sir it (the healthcare system) is not coping well, it is on a slow road to collapse”.

They added: “Nurses are certainly not coping well. Their numbers have declined sharply as many have left. The nurse to patient ratio has increased from 1:6 to 1:12 or more”.
Nurses are not being recalled from their days off because of the number of staff members getting Covid-19.

“Coping well? If so, why did the Ministry just issue an urgent call for volunteers to supplement a severe crunch on nursung manpower?” they asked.

 

The worker added that many nurses and doctors have quit, with many of those left behind juniors who “lack experience and are tasked to see complex cases”.

The worker added that they feared for patients in public healthcare.

Calling out Mr Gan for his comments that are “out of touch with the reality on the ground”, they added that their working conditions have worsened significantly “and yet there has been no change to our remuneration or increase in practical support”.

Asking for honesty and support, the worker wrote that it is “the lease we deserve for the literal blood sweat and tears we have given in the service of our nation”. /TISG

 

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